Archive for November, 2018

This question has been asked for such a long time. Nextgendog.com provides an answer for us.

According to hundreds of dog greetings videos, it certainly seems like dogs can understand when their human owners return home from a long absence.

Recently, countless dog videos have gone viral of soldiers returning home and their pets reacting by crying, fainting, and even seeming to laugh. But do dogs really understand what it means to miss someone?

Do dogs truly feel the excitement and overwhelming joy of experiencing an owner’s return after months or years of them being gone as we believe they do?

Science has proven that similar to humans, dogs remember things the clearest when there are strong emotional ties to the memories. The average dog has approximately the same emotional competency of a three year old child.

They can feel basic emotions like happiness, love, and anger. Dogs can even be surprised or scared.

However, they do not have the ability to feel the more complex social emotions that humans can, like guilt, shame, or a sense of pride.

It is then quite plausible that dogs really do understand what it is like to genuinely miss someone when they are gone; they just probably don’t understand the full extent of the absence.

It can be very frustrating to get your dog in the perfect position for that Christmas picture. What’s even more frustrating is getting him to sit still. Before we go any further, your dog must be trained to sit and stay. Let your dog get used to the camera. Let him take a good long sniff then start taking some shots to get him used to the clicking sound. The idea is to keep things natural and relaxed. Don’t grab a bunch of treats and shove them in your dogs face. Once he’s still and in the right position, take lots of pictures. Turn the flash off if outdoors or in an area that’s well lit. Your picture will look better in natural sunlight. Too much light will cause that “washed out” look. Get down to your dog’s level. Don’t stand over him. Pay attention to the background. A simple background like a beach or some trees are fine and will make your dog stand out better. A friend with a dog toy will come in handy if you want a head-on shot or a regal profile. However, keep your dog’s personality in mind, some dogs will get very excited when they see toys. Be creative, the best shots are often the spontaneous ones. Good luck, we’ll look for you and your best friend on that Christmas card!

My cat Millie loves her treats. I always buy her the same brand in the supermarket but are they the best for her? No they’re not. There is a way that you can provide your cat healthy, tasty treats. You can make them yourself. With all of the artificial fillers and grains sneaking into mainstream cat food these days, it is important to make sure that your cat is getting the proper nutrition he needs, as well as adding some fresh ingredients into his diet.

Vitacost.com have some provided some healthy cat treats that are easy for you to make at home. I will also give them a try!

I had to go to New Jersey for Thanksgiving day. We didn’t stay overnight but since we live 238 miles away from our destination, it was a long day. We were gone for about 14 hours. When I got home there was no sign of my cat Millie . She’s usually in the hallway waiting for her treats. She finally strolled out about five minutes later. It seemed that she was a little “miffed” that we left her for awhile. Unlike, children, cats cannot give their owners verbal feedback on how they coped in your absence.

Cats can also miss you if you’re leaving them with a sitter. There are signs to look for if you’re leaving your cat with a sitter. The sitter may notice that the cat is not eating as much as usual. They may not want to play with their cat toys. If there is no medical condition, it’s safe to assume that your cat is simply missing you and has decided not to eat for awhile. They probably don’t feel as secure or content as they are when you’re there. The best thing that the sitter can do is encourage the cat to eat by placing fresh food and water in your cat’s bowl everyday. He should start eating again after he adjusts to the fact that you’re not around.

Cats could also act differently when you’re gone. A docile cat may starting picking fights with his companion for no apparent reason. This could be a sign that the cat owner’s absence is causing anxiety and even insecurity. The sitter should not intervene unless the fight is vicious. As soon as you return home, your cat will behave as if you were never gone.

Over the years we’ve discussed this topic many times yet dog owners continually let their dogs off their leash. No matter where you live, it’s important that this general rule be adhered to at all times. Some owners will say, “well my dog knows his way back home.” Still this is no excuse. Your dog can get hit by a car, can do damage to other properties in the area, be bitten by another dog, can even scare other dogs in the neighborhood. There are even more reasons. Your dog can be picked up by a stranger. If you live in a community and consistently, leave your dog off it’s leash, you will no doubt eventually receive letters directing you to keep your dog on a leash or face fines and in some cases legal action against you.

Even though you have confidence in your dog when he’s off his leash, all of these reasons should convince you that dogs on leashes are the best and safest bet. It’s your duty to protect your best friend and yourself! Keep your dog on a leash at all times!

Cats are like us because they too suffer from overweight problems. This can cause heart disease, arthritis and lots of other problems. Some cats are very overweight and are considered obese. Obese cats often have difficulty breathing and find it hard to move around. If you maintain a healthy weight for your cat, you will help extend it’s life span and improve it’s lifestyle.

Here’s a simple guideline to follow. For large breed cats such as the Maine Coon cat, a weight of 18 pounds is ideal. However a female Singapura, which is a much smaller breed, can be overweight at 7 pounds. If your cat is not purebred, they should weigh between 8 and 12 pounds depending on the bone structure.

If your cat is overweight, check with your vet and he’ll probably recommend that you feed her with a specially formulated low cal cat food and give her more exercise. Please note, kittens should never be fed low cal food as they need all the nutrients that they could get , including fat to achieve the proper growth rate. If your cat is on a diet, also check with your vet regarding the type and quantity of cat treats to feed her.

If you have a dog dasher or one who is particularly anxious during parties or when friends come over. Keep them in a quiet room in your house with the door closed. A soft bed with some water, treats and toys in quiet area and keep him content while your guests are over. Also, make sure to talk to your guests about how to best interact with your dog or puppy when they arrive.

Tell your guests that your pet is shy or afraid and not to try to pet your furry friend until you introduce them. If you have an indoor cat tell them not to leave doors open if they step outside or onto your deck or porch. There’s nothing wrong will gently advising your guests of your pet safety plan. You may introduce your dog when guests arrive then take him to his quiet room before you sit down to dinner or get on with the party festivities. If your dog is a dasher, I would advise you to keep your furry friend in his quiet room before your guests arrive.

I would also introduce your dog to his quiet room a few days before your party or dinner. Let him explore his bed, toys and other things that will occupy him while you are entertaining.

In July CNN did a story about how our best friends can save us in an emergency. The article appears below. Our pets do not only give us unconditional love and affection but they can also be lifesavers!

The following story is by CNN News.

Firefighters rescuing a trapped infant inside a burning house in Baltimore, Maryland, last summer reportedly found an unbelievable sight.

Eight-month-old Viviana was severely burned, but alive. Inexplicably, Polo, the family dog, was found laying on top of the baby, apparently saving her life, according to CNN affiliate WBAL. Sadly, Polo didn’t survive the fire.

Witnesses: Dog saves Atlanta family from road-rage and gun fire.

In Atlanta in 2014, a German shepherd saved the lives of two family members during a road-rage confrontation. Witnesses said an armed driver followed a family to a strip mall and started shooting, prompting the family dog in the car to jump into the line of fire, shielding a child and a woman. The dog later died.

In Connecticut in 2012, a family dog awoke parents in the middle of the night, apparently warning that their infant daughter had stopped breathing, CNN affiliate WFSB reported. They were able to revive her and she ended up being OK.

Owning a dog or a cat has many emotional benefits for their owners. not only are they known to lower blood pressure and provide unconditional love all the time, they are known to give us comfort in the time of grief. National Geographic has published an article about dogs comforting some of the victims of the Sandy Hook Shootings.

One boy confided in the gentle-faced golden retriever about exactly what happened in his classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School that day—which his parents said was more than he’d been able to share with them. A little girl who hadn’t spoken since the shootings finally started talking to her mother again after petting one of the “comfort dogs.” Groups of teenagers began to open up and discuss their fear and grief with each other as they sat on the floor together, all stroking the same animal.

The dogs are therapy dogs—professional comforters that were brought to Newtown, Connecticut, almost immediately after the horrific shootings on December 14 that left 20 young children and 6 staff members dead.

As you gather around the table with family and friends this Thanksgiving, lets not forget about our furry friends. It’s a special time for them too. After all, they were adopted and have a warm, loving home with lots of food and treats so why not make their holiday special as well? Of course, stay away from treats that can harm your dog like chocolate and other food that may harm his stomach. Here are five great treats for your dog during the holidays.

Cooked vegetables like pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, and peas are terrific options for cats and dogs.
Bones and chews – don’t give your dog turkey bones as they may break and cause your dog to choke or injury to his intestines. Instead look for some tasty turkey flavored chews.
Fresh turkey – remove the skin and bones and don’t give him turkey that has been sitting for more than two hours.
Biscuits and other treats. You’ll find these at your local pet supermarket.
Toys. You can pick out a toy that your dog will “drool” over. This is a good option in place of food.
Have a great Thanksgiving with you family, friends and pets!